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  • 1 year ago
Political Analyst Dr. Maukesh Basdeo believes it's an opportune time for ventilation on exploring the idea that the political allegiance of people applying to be Returning Officers should be declared.


It's a matter which the Elections and Boundaries Commission has sought and obtained legal advice on.


Alicia Boucher has the details from the TV6 Morning Edition.
Transcript
00:00The Elections and Boundaries Commission said the legal counsel it received on a decision
00:06to ask returning officers to declare their political allegiance is that it is advisable
00:11and lawful to do so.
00:13The EBC explains that it took the initiative based on complaints from political parties
00:18that some of the returning officers are members of political parties.
00:23Dr Mukesh Basdeo believes what is transpiring now is a consultation process of sorts and
00:29he expects political leaders who have not commented as yet to engage the topic.
00:34From what I read in the newspapers, the leader of the opposition would just like the legal
00:40opinion to be, let's say, made public.
00:43So therefore, if they are countering legal arguments on this opinion, it could be discussed
00:50in greater detail.
00:51So I think from the latest EBC statement, it is up for consultation.
00:58This is well in advance of, let's say, the next parliamentary election.
01:03Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has called the EBC's plan absolutely unacceptable, saying
01:08the vote in this country is secret and no person in public employment must be forced
01:13to reveal how he or she voted or intends to vote.
01:18The EBC has since made a distinction between the declaration of political party membership
01:24of returning officer applicants and the disclosure of voting preference, which the commission
01:29also notes is protected by a secret ballot.
01:32The returning officers are those who host or manage the elections.
01:36The political analyst believes there are benefits to raising this matter in the public domain.
01:42If there was any doubt that persons believe that there was bias involved, maybe it can
01:47have the positive effect of basically seeing maybe an increase of uptick in what we call
01:52voter participation.
01:54All of these are designed to ensure what we call what was right, what was legally correct
02:03was actually carried out on the day of the election.
02:07Despite the doubts in the minds of some, Dr Basdeo is making one thing clear.
02:11But there have not been any case whereby, let's say from a court setting, that a returning
02:17officer has been found to be, let's say, guilty of what we call, let's say, this form
02:23of what we call political bias.
02:24That has not emanated.
02:27But it would seem that there was significant, let's say, voice or noise that would have
02:35warranted the EBC to take this position, to get what we call a legal opinion.
02:42Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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